Wednesday, August 26, 2009

My liver and I managed to survive the weekend-long, garage/punk/scuzz fest that was Smmr Bmmr, and I brought back some new scraps of wax to prove it. Highlight of the epic fest proved to be Mayyors, who created a a frothing fury of flying bodies the moment they hit the stage. The crowd was pretty laid back until those now-too-familiar buzzing riffs ripped through the Rotture speakers. Check the youtube videos below for some proof of the mayhem. Thee Oh Sees, who headlined the Friday night show, almost toppled the back patio that they'd set up on. It was kinda like watching the band while on a wooden trampoline filled with drunken, flailing bodies. Unfortunately they had to end a little earlier than expected due to the possible death of the entire crowd. Ganglians were another highlight, mostly because they eschewed their Beach Boys-esque harmonies for their noisier side, which I definitely prefer. Pens were a nice, yet unexpected, break from the macho punk strut of the bands that had been playing for the the last three days. The three UK cuties playfully stumbled through a half hour set of adorable, catchy garage pop that eventually won over the crowd. Expect big things from the ladies when their debut LP drops on De Stijl next month. Meth Teeth, with brand new LP (pictured at the top) in hand, played an amazing set of their distinct chiming, twangy garage, which was probably the best set I've seen from them yet. That new LP has risen to the top of my best of '09 list and is essential listening for all you listeners out there. Re-recorded versions of the best tracks from their 7"s and cassettes all make an appearance on the LP. Ty Segall, solo, and with Sic Alps was another winner of the weekend, though I was hoping to see Ty do his one-man blown-out garage set solo.

Of course, when in Portland, most of the daytime is reserved to hunting around in the many amazing record shops that the city has to offer. Mississippi and Exiled, neither of which I had been to when I was there last, receive the top marks, not to mention, most money spent.

Picked up during the hunt were some hard-to-find (at least up in Vancouver) newer LPs, including the Long Legged Woman LP, San Francisco Water Cooler's amazing LP from last year, The Hunches supposedly mail-order only LP of outtakes and live material, and the brand new LP from Eternal Tapestry. Plenty more where that came from, but you'll have to wait until next week for the rest.

In cassette news, Luke Meat from CiTR's Anoize show lent me brand new cassettes by Edmonton's Famines, which comes with an actual book, bound and filled with uneccessary info from all the band members and their families (easily the cassette package of the year!), and a new EP cassette from Calgary's Hunter Gatherer. The Famines, who've rocked Vancouver a few times now, laid an explosive live show on this new cassette, and is a great primer for anyone who hasn't laid ears on the 7"s yet. The Hunter Gatherer cassette is a great noisy pop affair, and I suspect something great coming from the trio in the near future. You can download the EP from their myspace for free, which I highly recommend you do...asap!

Also, the new set from Hozac's Hookup Klub dropped this week, and they were well worth the wait. Check out Raven Sings the Blues article on them here.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Not a whole lot of time to write up reviews this week, as I'm getting ready to head out to Summer Bummer in Portland this weekend (sneak preview on this week's show). If I can, however, recommend one record this week, it's gotta be the brand new one from Billy Bao. Even harsher and more relentless than their full length from two years back, "May '08" is a monster akin to the g(l)ory days of Brainbombs. Since Mattin of Billy Bao is anti-copyright, you should be able to find this one for download somewhere out there, but I do recommend you snatch the vinyl up for maximum aural punishment.

That's it for this week. Full report on Summer Bummer when I get back.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Kickedoff the show this week with a track from the stunning new LP by Tim Cohen (pictured above), who is also the main guitarist/keyboard/singer for the Pop Drones favorite The Fresh and Onlys. Not quite as poppy or jumpy as the Fresh and Onlys, this solo joint is a much more subdued and stripped down affair. 250 copies only, though I think you can still nab one through Aquarius Records or Fusetron. Do not sleep on this one, folks.

The Mayfair Set 12", after much teasing with their 7" earlier this year, finally dropped in the mail just in time for the show this week. So damn good I had to jam two tracks off it. Mayfair Set, for those that have better things to do than read blogs or Terminal Boredom, is a collaborative effort between Dee Dee of the Dum Dum Girls and Mike Sniper of Blank Dogs. Dee Dee, takes on most of the vocal duties, while it appears as if Sniper is the man behind the decks, though, who really knows? Dee Dee's beautiful, soaring vocals mesh amazingly with Sniper's lo-fi warble-y bedroom pop. Essential 2009 release here.

Sacred Bones dropped two beauties in a row this week. First up is Zola Jesus's new LP (tons of releases already this year and more to come) is easily her most refined work to date. Cold industrial beatwork backed up with her goth-y wail is a nice throwback to the part of the 80s that I still have a soft spot for. New Gary War LP dropped at the same time, which, admittedly, is not quite as infectious as last year's "New Raytheonport", but still consistent throughout. Both of these releases come in silkscreen sleeves adorned with that instantly recognizable Sacred Bones artwork. And that's just the regular edition. Keep an eye and an ear out for more SB releases in the near future, including a new one by Factums, a Blanks Dogs comp, Dead Luke LP, a Nerve City 12", and tons more. Keep 'em comin'.

The new Cave record is ranking up there pretty high for '09 releases. Not quite as stuttery and break neck as their Permanent Records debut, but still a raucous event nonetheless. Very reminiscent of early Oneida in that classic rock through a kraut rock grinder way. Eye bulging cover art, too!

New Sun Araw has lived up to the lofty expectations that the blogosphere has heaped up on the man. Not quite as dreamy, drifting or mystical as those initial release. Instead, he falls back on the dub inflections he only hinted at before. Fine by me, as dub is pretty much my favorite thing to have on the hi-fi durin' the summertime. Needless to say, this'll be stuck on the 'table at least through September.

Coupla' shows worth checking out this week. Sadly, the two I would recommend are both this Saturday night.

If yr more inclined towards the garage/punk side of things, then you should head down to the Astoria and wish Sex Church and Defektors a safe and prosperous trip down the West Coast. Both bands are playing shows in Washington, Portland, and, of course, California. In fact, it looks like they'll be hitting up damn near every city worth playing in California. DJ Rick over at Art For Spastics has already hyped up people down south, so I'm doin' my part up in this end. Seriously, two of Vancouver's finest. Not to be missed. Sex Church will be toting along a brand new cassette, which I highly recommend you snatch up while you can. Sweet Rot 7" is coming soon, so I'm told.

Also this Saturday is the mighty return of San Francisco's Barn Owl, who blew away the small but excited crowd last year at Hoko's. This time around they'll be playing at Little Mountain and will be sharing the night with local faves solars, who will have new cassette and possibly a new 7" split with Ahna for sale. Barn Owl should also have some new works for sale. Anyone who needs a Barn Owl sneak peak should check out this classic Expressway posting.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Started things off this week with a bangin' track off the new Oneida, and I do mean bangin'. Upon first listen, Brownout In Lagos sounds like it coulda' come off last year's dubby dancehall record by the Bug. Anyone let down by the loose kraut explorations on Oneida's record from last year, 'Preteen Weaponry' (the opener in the 'Thank Your Parents' trilogy), will be pleasantly surprised. Though the triple LP does have some sitar-drenched kosmiche, but Oneida still find the time to rock it like it's 1999.

Brand new cassette (now sold out from the source) by France's High Wolf shows a brand new talent in the burgeoning cosmic-beach-world-psych genre. The man has played shows with Sun Araw, so you know he's in good company. He's also started a label called Winged Sun, which released the now-out-of-print debut cassette and CDR. Big things to come... In the meantime, you can snatch up the NNF cassette here, the Winged Sun cassette here, and the CDR here.

Came across a gnarly Big Black-styled band thanks to one of my favorite blogs, Still Single. A self-released 7"/CDR (order now!) has just been unleashed and it's pretty crushing. Definitely heavy on the Big Black, but much more blown out and textured, almost black metal styles at times. Required listening!

Just got the last batch of Goaty cassettes in the mail last week and Zully Adler (the NYC'er behind the label) has really upped the ante on the new batch. Thick cardstock sleeves, tons of inserts and other little goodies dropped inside make for some of the better packaging coming from the cassette underground right now. He's also managed to rope in some great, unheralded artists, including Bone Patrol, which is a collab between Dead Luke and Aaron from Peaking Lights. Nice meandering lo-fi psych drools. The flip of that cassette is Dead Luke going at it solo under the moniker Varlet Tarsod. Again, fans of Sun Araw et. al need to perk up and snatch a copy! (drop a comment below to cop one from yours truly...)

New CDR from my main man in Connect_icut, Sam Macklin, which was handed off last weekend, and it's turned out to be one of the best things I've heard from the man's fingertips/brain. The track I played on the show, Sea Bells On Sunday, is based around the opening of the Velvet Underground's Sunday Morning! Absolutely gorgeous...drop the man a line for a copy.

Coupla' shows this week worth mentioning...

Kris from Twee Death, Empress, Jeffrey Allport and Light Industry (NYC) present a night of experimental film and music. Check the Twee Death site for more info. This one is tonight and starts around 8pm. See you there...

Also, Sex Negatives will be playing with Damo Suzuki this Saturday on the 8th at the Biltmore. Should be an interesting Sex Negatives set with Keith and Justin out of the city for the time being. Apparently Brody has lined up some guest musicians. Defektors are opening, and I really can't wait to see them again after watching them kill it last night at Pat's pub, where they played with Detroit's Frustrations.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

On Saturday, August 1st - that's tonight! - it's a night of deep drone/doom/ambient noise featuring Portland's Brown and Squim, Seattle's A Story of Rats, and Ahna.

Some of you may already be familiar with J. from Brown + Garek from A Story of Rats (also of Dull Knife) as two-thirds of drone-metal behemoth Tecumseh, who've released killer LPs on Important Records, Black Horizons + Anarchymoon Recordings. Here are some words on their projects from Keith Fullerton Whitman + the folks at Aquarius Records and The Wire:

Most shadowy + mysterious... weird and darkly evocative.

The perfect metallic drifting-off music, almost like they've discovered some new genre: sludge-ambient, doom-age... whatever you decide to call it, it's amazing + fans of all things slow motion, downtuned, and yes - heavy! will dig this big time.

Moments of Fennesz-ian clarity with misted atmosphere and granular environmental noise... very nice!